Merry Christmas
by IvoryMoonlight
Summary: "I wish every year from now on, I can spend every day with Otani." One-shot. Takes place right after Otani's "I seem to like you more than I realised". Think of it as a deleted scene.


_AUTHOR'S NOTE!_

_So, yeah, this is my second Lovely Complex one-shot and it's kinda more fluffy than my first one. It's anime-verse and mange-verse, takes place right after Otani ells Risa to forget that break up thing and they get together again. Please tell me if you liked it and whether I kept them in character or not, (Otani, in fact, since Risa is just too easy! :P ) Oh, and I hope my switch of POVs won't confuse you! Enjoy! :D_

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><p>"All right, all right! Can't…can't take it anymore! We've got to stop!"<p>

Otani Atsushi looked up at the tall girl and after giving her a violent nod, they both coursed to a stop, both panting heavily.

He noticed she unwillingly let go of his hand to place it over her fast-rising chest in an attempt to even her breathing and bring it back to normal. She almost looked to be hyperventilating . He had to hide a smile. They had been running through the crowds like lunatics, Koizumi probably had pushed a couple of people out of the way too.

He wasn't sure why they had been running like fugitives. At first they were driven by embarrassment but after being five blocks away, they just kept on sprinting probably because they enjoyed doing so. Probably those who called them 'a pair of idiots' were right, after all.

"What's so amusing?" she groaned among her pants. Apparently he had not hid his smirk as well as he had thought he had. Upon seeing her expression that was a mixture of tiresome, relief, nuisance and even love, he had to grin even wider. "What the hell? Are you laughing at me again? But right, I forgot, I _am_ just a comedienne!" she mocked, pulling a comically annoyed face and averting her big eyes away from him in dignity.

"That was quite a run." He only said, deciding it was best to pretend he ignored her words; picking up a fight wasn't exactly what he wished for at that moment. It was Christmas after all, they day of Lovers, and he had just gotten back together with her. Putting on their usual show wasn't exactly the reason he came looking for her. Not to mention she wouldn't find it that romantic either, not that he was a romantic type of guy but still, he wasn't that clueless.

"I feel so old right now!" he exclaimed, realizing that he actually was really exhausted by all that running. Now it was one of the many times he regretted abandoning his title of captain of the basketball team. Damn these exams!

"Me too!" she panted again but stood tall and started walking peacefully. She actually seemed pretty calm, despite her heavy breathing. "Cutting gym so frequently wasn't a wise decision after all!"

"Huh?" he raised his brows in confusion. Cutting gym? When did she ever do that? He remembered her wearing her gym cloths whenever she and Nobu-chan would come to watch the basketball team practice. Which was every day…except when she started that annoying Maity Team Club. So all in all, she cut gym just to come and watch him practice? Honestly, that idiot…maybe she would steal his heart after all… "Anyway, there's a bench over there."

"Good idea!" she replied eagerly and sank in the left side of the wooden bench. She still looked pretty exhausted and the tears that had made their way down her rosy cheeks had left evident paths on her skin while her eyes were still a bit red. Yet when he took his seat beside her, her smile reached her ears and that was one of the times when he had to admit to himself that she looked really cute. But just to himself. "So…uhh…" she started pretty awkwardly. "You didn't tell me why you're here. I thought you'd be studying for your exams."

"I…well, I was but…" feeling his face heating up, he started searching the area with his eyes, actually not searching for anything in particular, just avoiding her great, inquisitive orbs. "IwantedtoseeKoizumitoo." He spoke too fast and probably that's the reason she started giggling like an idiot. "Stop laughing already!"

"Gomen! It's just so kawaii!" she exclaimed in a voice of adoration as if she was talking to a puppy. "You really wanted to see me?"

"Shut up!" he muttered looking even further away, if that's even possible. "I just don't trust that midget, 'tis all."

"You mean, Kohori-kun? Nani? What did he do? I mean…I remember the other day you two got in a fight but I still don't understand why…" she looked as if she was talking to herself. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice his frowning stare at her.

"And here the idiot is calling _me_ dense!" he spoke in a loud, sarcastic voice, attracting her quizzical frown.

"What? What do you mean? Tell me, Otani!" she requested in a pleading voice and sat upright, staring squarely at his face. "Come on! I think I have the right to know!"

He furrowed his brows and sighed in defeat. Well, he couldn't deny it, she was right. And it would be best to tell her himself than have that…shrimp confess to her, if he already hadn't. He would probably say several nasty things about him too and try to change Koizumi's mind and feelings too. Otani couldn't let that happen. Not that he did not trust Risa, he just didn't want her to have that kind of talk with that meddler midget. "You don't mean to tell me you have not realized yet that he fancies you!"

The girl froze and took a quite shocked expression. She really had not figured it out then. Well, he had to admit he was relieved. If she had while they had split up, she could have turned to Kohori for comfort. Which was unwanted since only God knew where his comfort would have led. "No I… well, he did act somewhat suspiciously… maybe I would have noticed if I hadn't been distracted by our breakup and all…"

A wave of guilt crushed upon him as she spoke those words with sorrow clouding her usually laughing, shimmering eyes. Well, she had been crying a lot that year. _Whose fault do you think it is, you idiot? _She had accused him menacingly that night they had been locked up in the storeroom for a while. He had never liked that particular kind of effect he had on her and now even more so. "So that's why you came tonight? You thought something was going on between me and Kohori-kun?"

He frowned once again and stared at the tips of his slippers before nodding faintly. "The other day, he told me he likes you and that he would make a move since we had broken up."

"Well, Otani… don't you already know that I…" her voice trailed away and her gaze seemed to be glued on something faraway, at a place hidden by everybody's vision but hers. "I like you too much for my good, you know? He tried to stop me tonight when I said I was leaving. He said you don't deserve me. But I don't believe that. Because, tonight, I once again realized that I am no good without Otani."

Risa finished her small speech with a soft smile and darted her eyes off her entwined hands on her lap to Otani's lowered head. He looked to be thinking through what he had heard her say and his eyes were shimmering with something she had never seen before, something she couldn't give name to. Relief? Guilt? Happiness? Love? She wasn't sure what it was exactly, she had never been able to figure him out anyway, but it looked to be something good.

"Me too." He slowly lifted his head but kept staring away from her. "I'm sorry." He apologised again.

"How many times must you apologise? Everything is fine now, right? Don't be so stupid, just forget everything, there's no need to-" she started blubbering in nervous excitement, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear but he suddenly cut her off by gripping softly and yet possessively her wrist and gazing deep into her eyes seriously. At his attitude, she gasped in surprise and wonder, her mind going blank by the way he seemed to be staring right at her soul. Damn him! How many times did he want to steal her heart?

"I'll forget it; just don't go doing stupid things again, all right? If you hadn't gone to that concert I would have never found a pretext to break up with you in the first place." he let her know in his gravely serious voice again and he seemed to be actually accusing himself through blaming her.

"Ah, so now it's my fault?" she exclaimed in disbelief. "But I guess you're right. It really was stupid. I'm really, really sorry, Otani. I was just feeling kind of lonely since you were spending so much time studying and-"

He stopped her blubbering again by pulling her hand down and bringing her face closer to his. She had just a second to catch her breath as his lips crushed upon hers. Naturally, she needed not think twice to close her eyes and kiss him back. All her previous thoughts and feelings were dissolved through the relieved happiness and love that was filling her heart all over again. The kisses she had shared with him were very few but she cherished each and every one of them. Gosh, she really did love him too much for her own good.

When they pulled apart she felt something soft and cold making its way down her cheek. "Why are you crying now? You idiot." He surprised both of them by reaching up and brushing the tear away. Realizing what he had done, he looked away flustered which made her chuckle gently.

"Hey, Otani?" she whispered closer to his ear.

"Nani?"

She smiled and waited for him to look back at her. "Merry Christmas."

He gazed back at her in surprise before smiling back "Merry Christmas, aho."

Actually, that was her first year she spent Christmas with Otani and him being her boyfriend. They hadn't exchanged presents –though he had given her one without realizing it-, nor were they near a Christmas tree and a lit fireplace. But they were together and they were in love and that was enough to make her content and happy.

_I wish every year from now on, I can spend every day with Otani. _

She thought to herself as he pressed another soft kiss on her lips, their hands entwined.


End file.
